Mississippi State got some huge news on Sunday when four-star Holmes Community College cornerback Tee Shepard decided to shut things down and call Starkville home.

"I told them I'm a Dawg," Shepard said with a laugh. "They're all excited. The players, the coaches and everybody are just excited. It's crazy. The coaches were telling me all week about the same two things: football and academics. That's what I'm happy about. Everybody is just excited right now."

Shepard hinted at committing to the Bulldogs this past week but wanted to make it official on his visit to Starkville this weekend. The visit could not have gone better for the nation's #8 JUCO prospect.

"It was great. I've been up here before but it was nice to come back," Shepard said of his official. "I love it and I feel like it's home. They have a nice academic setup and the program is on the rise so there's no place else better than here."

One of the most influential players of the weekend was Nickoe Whitley who Shepard had previously built a bond with. As Whitley is on his way to the NFL, Shepard is ready to follow in his footsteps in more ways than one.

"I hung out with Nickoe all weekend," Shepard said. "I know some of the other players but I've bonded more with Nickoe. I told him I was going to take his jersey next year. I look pretty good in it, too."

Now Shepard gets back to work in the classroom and set to enroll in the summer. Hard work is at the forefront for the talented corner.

"My main focus is to keep working hard and stay hard in the classroom," Shepard said. "I've got to stay focused in school. My goal is to get my degree and graduate from Holmes Community College and that's what I'm going to do."

Shepard is the Bulldogs third junior college commitment joining signee Joquell Johnson and commit Will Coleman. He is the third four-star player in the class and the Bulldogs' 19th commit.